EP0201373B1 - Dispositif photosensible à temps de pose ajustable localement - Google Patents

Dispositif photosensible à temps de pose ajustable localement Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0201373B1
EP0201373B1 EP86400686A EP86400686A EP0201373B1 EP 0201373 B1 EP0201373 B1 EP 0201373B1 EP 86400686 A EP86400686 A EP 86400686A EP 86400686 A EP86400686 A EP 86400686A EP 0201373 B1 EP0201373 B1 EP 0201373B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
detectors
series
mos transistors
integration time
register
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP86400686A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0201373A1 (fr
Inventor
Jacques Chautemps
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Thales SA
Original Assignee
Thomson CSF SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thomson CSF SA filed Critical Thomson CSF SA
Publication of EP0201373A1 publication Critical patent/EP0201373A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0201373B1 publication Critical patent/EP0201373B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/50—Control of the SSIS exposure
    • H04N25/53—Control of the integration time
    • H04N25/532—Control of the integration time by controlling global shutters in CMOS SSIS
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/701—Line sensors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/76—Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/76—Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
    • H04N25/779—Circuitry for scanning or addressing the pixel array
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/76—Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
    • H04N25/7795—Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a photosensitive device with locally adjustable exposure time.
  • an anti-dazzle device does not solve this problem because it causes the loss by clipping of part of the information corresponding to the light area.
  • the diaphragm is closed to analyze a very bright area, the information coming from the dark area is partly unusable.
  • the present invention makes it possible to solve the problems mentioned above and proposes a photosensitive device comprising at least one line of photosensitive detectors, characterized in that it comprises means ensuring a local modification of the integration time, for certain detectors, as a function of the illumination received by each detector.
  • Figure 1 relates to an embodiment of a photosensitive device according to the invention.
  • a strip of photosensitive detectors which comprises only a single line of detectors D 1 to Dn, photo-diodes for example.
  • a shift register 1 with serial input and parallel outputs makes it possible to address each detector sequentially. It may for example be a logic shift register, which operates with two clock signals 0 1 and 0 2 . A pulse 1 1 is entered into this register which is transferred from one output of the register to the next with a period T.
  • each output of the register addresses the gate of a MOS transistor, referenced Ti, T 2 ... Tn.
  • a second electrode of these MOS transistors is connected to a detector, while their third electrode constitutes the output S of the device.
  • This output S makes it possible to read the quantity of charge stored by each addressed detector. This amount of charge is proportional to the illumination received during the integration time.
  • each detector is connected to means ensuring a local modification of the integration time, which are constituted by MOS Ti transistors, T ' 2 ... T' n connected by one of their electrodes to a detector Di , D 2 ... D n , by another electrode to a charge evacuation diode DE polarized at a constant potential V.
  • the gate of the MOS transistors T ' 1 to T' n is controlled by an electrode of the MOS T transistors " 1 to T ' n , the gates of which receive the same control signal 0A and another electrode of which is connected to an output of a second shift register 2.
  • This register with serial input and parallel outputs, is controlled by clock signals 0 3 and 0 4 and receives on its input information l 2 which is conveyed from one output of the register to the next.
  • the register 1 operates at a frequency such that the reading period of the detectors equals T.
  • the control signal Ci received by the gate of the transistor Ti is shown.
  • This signal Ci is periodic with a period T. It is therefore with a period T that the charges stored by the detector D 1 are discharged towards the output S after having passed through the MOS transistor Ti.
  • FIG. 2b shows the control signal C ' 1 applied to the transistor Ti also connected to the detector D 1 .
  • the register 2 operates at the same frequency as the register 1, but the information l 2 is shifted by T / 2 with respect to the information l 1 .
  • the exposure time that is to say the integration time Ti of the detector Di, then equals T / 2.
  • FIG. 3 an embodiment slightly different from that of FIG. 1 is shown.
  • the MOS transistors Ti, T 2 ... Tn which control the detectors D 1 to Dn can be addressed by one or the other of the registers 1 and 2, via MOS transistors To1 to Ton and T " 1 to T'n which receive on their grids respectively the control signals ⁇ A1 and 0 A2 .
  • connection S On the output connection S, there is an alternation of useful and non-useful information.
  • a detector when connected to connection S, it is either to be read or for the evacuation of the charges that it has stored in order to start a new integration period.
  • control signals ⁇ A1 and 0 A2 are substantially in phase opposition.
  • an integration time equal to T / 2
  • the device of FIG. 3 has the advantage of using the same path for the evacuation of the parasitic charges and for that of the signal charges which makes it possible to reduce the spatial noise.
  • FIGS. 1 and 3 make it possible to carry out several different integration times.
  • the clock signals ⁇ 3 and 0 4 can be stopped.
  • the information 1 2 is transferred very quickly into the register 2 to return to an integration time of T / 2 for the detector Di.
  • the detectors D l and D l cannot be neighbors if we want to be able to go from an integration time of T / 4 to an integration time of T / 2.
  • Signal 0 1 is chosen identical to signal ⁇ 3 and signal 0 2 identical to signal 0 4 .
  • Figure 5a shows the signals 0 1 and 0 3 and Figure 5b the signals 0 2 and 0 4 .
  • the signals 0 1 and ⁇ 3 are substantially in phase opposition with the signals 0 2 and 0 4 .
  • FIGS. 5c and 5d show the control signals ⁇ A1 and ⁇ A2 which are substantially in phase opposition, during the time intervals where the pulse 1 2 is opposite the detectors Di to Dj and D k to D l .
  • the integration time equals T.
  • Figures 5e and f show the information l 1 and l 2 .
  • the information l 1 and 1 2 are shifted by T / 2 when processing the detectors Di to Dj and they are shifted by T / 4 when processing the detectors D k to D l .
  • a third register 3 can likewise be used in the case of the device in FIG. 1. This third register is connected to the device in the same way as the second shift register 2.
  • FIG. 8 an embodiment of the control circuit of the devices in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 is shown.
  • the output signal S for each detector is compared to the saturation threshold Vs a t using a differential amplifier 4 for example.
  • a 1 is assigned if S is greater than Vs a t and an O otherwise.
  • the output of this memory 5 is connected to a microprocessor 6 which controls the signals 0 1 , 0 2 , 0s, 0 4 ... and information l 1 , 1 2 ... transferred to the registers.
  • the integration time changes to T / 2.
  • a differential amplifier 8 makes it possible to compare the output signal S with V Sat / 2 . This comparison is only used from second reading. The result of this comparison is stored in a memory 9. It is possible, for example, to assign a 1 if the signal S is less than Vsat / 2 and an O otherwise.
  • a third differential amplifier 10 has its inputs connected to memories 7 and 9 and its output to microprocessor 6.
  • the device according to the invention has been described in the case of detector arrays. They can be, for example, photo-diodes or photo-MOS.
  • the invention is of course applicable in the case of photosensitive arrays consisting of several lines of detectors.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Transforming Light Signals Into Electric Signals (AREA)
  • Photometry And Measurement Of Optical Pulse Characteristics (AREA)
  • Exposure Control For Cameras (AREA)
EP86400686A 1985-04-05 1986-03-28 Dispositif photosensible à temps de pose ajustable localement Expired - Lifetime EP0201373B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8505254 1985-04-05
FR8505254A FR2580133B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1985-04-05 1985-04-05

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0201373A1 EP0201373A1 (fr) 1986-11-12
EP0201373B1 true EP0201373B1 (fr) 1990-12-27

Family

ID=9318018

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP86400686A Expired - Lifetime EP0201373B1 (fr) 1985-04-05 1986-03-28 Dispositif photosensible à temps de pose ajustable localement

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US4706123A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
EP (1) EP0201373B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS61236283A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE3676550D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2580133B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

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NL8602091A (nl) * 1986-08-18 1988-03-16 Philips Nv Beeldopneeminrichting uitgevoerd met een vaste-stof beeldopnemer en een elektronische sluiter.
WO1990001844A1 (en) * 1988-08-02 1990-02-22 Sorex Corporation Wide dynamic range image sensor
JPH02101878A (ja) * 1988-10-11 1990-04-13 Nec Corp 固体撮像装置
FR2655504B1 (fr) * 1989-12-01 1992-02-21 Thomson Csf Procede et dispositif de compression de debit pour camera visiophonique munie d'une matrice photosensible a transfert de charges et systeme de transmission d'images correspondant.
GB2262010B (en) * 1991-11-27 1996-01-17 Eev Ltd Charge - coupled device
JPH077651A (ja) * 1993-06-18 1995-01-10 Sony Corp 露光制御回路
US5452001A (en) * 1993-10-22 1995-09-19 Xerox Corporation Serial pixel readout scheme for butted sensor chips in multi-chip input scanner
US5541645A (en) * 1994-07-28 1996-07-30 Eastman Kodak Company Method and apparatus for dynamically determining and setting charge transfer and color channel exposure times for a multiple color, CCD sensor of a film scanner
SE509734C3 (sv) * 1995-02-17 1999-06-21 Foersvarets Forskningsanstalt Bildsensor med inbyggd oeverexponeringskontroll
US6115065A (en) * 1995-11-07 2000-09-05 California Institute Of Technology Image sensor producing at least two integration times from each sensing pixel
US6856349B1 (en) * 1996-09-30 2005-02-15 Intel Corporation Method and apparatus for controlling exposure of a CMOS sensor array
US6175383B1 (en) * 1996-11-07 2001-01-16 California Institute Of Technology Method and apparatus of high dynamic range image sensor with individual pixel reset
US6229133B1 (en) * 1997-10-27 2001-05-08 Texas Instruments Incorporated Image sensing device with delayed phase frequency modulation
US7102675B1 (en) 1997-11-14 2006-09-05 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Photoelectric conversion device, focus detection device, method of controlling these devices, and storage medium
JP3468405B2 (ja) * 1998-03-12 2003-11-17 キヤノン株式会社 固体撮像装置
EP1127453A1 (en) * 1998-10-19 2001-08-29 Ben-Gurion University Of The Negev Optical imager using a method for adaptive real-time expanding of the dynamic range
US6977685B1 (en) 1999-02-26 2005-12-20 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Single-chip imager system with programmable dynamic range
US6693670B1 (en) * 1999-07-29 2004-02-17 Vision - Sciences, Inc. Multi-photodetector unit cell
JP2004507910A (ja) * 2000-07-05 2004-03-11 ビジョン−サイエンシズ・インコーポレーテッド ダイナミック・レンジ圧縮方法
EP1356665A4 (en) * 2000-11-27 2006-10-04 Vision Sciences Inc CMOS IMAGE SENSOR WITH PROGRAMMABLE RESOLUTION
JP2004530286A (ja) 2000-11-27 2004-09-30 ビジョン−サイエンシズ・インコーポレイテッド イメージ・センサ内での雑音レベルの軽減
JP2004048561A (ja) * 2002-07-15 2004-02-12 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd 撮像装置及び測光装置
US20080050110A1 (en) * 2006-08-24 2008-02-28 Tai-Hsin Liu Method for adjusting a mechanical shutter
US7916969B2 (en) * 2007-03-23 2011-03-29 Seiko Epson Corporation Varying the exposure of a digital image by region
GB201013783D0 (en) * 2010-08-17 2010-09-29 Isis Innovation Image sensor
DE102011081405B4 (de) * 2011-08-23 2016-09-29 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. Bildsensor, Abbildungsvorrichtung und Verfahren für einen Bildsensor

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JPS5850030B2 (ja) * 1979-03-08 1983-11-08 日本放送協会 光電変換装置およびそれを用いた固体撮像板
JPS55145481A (en) * 1979-04-28 1980-11-13 Canon Inc Mos image sensor
JPS5793782A (en) * 1980-12-02 1982-06-10 Canon Inc Solid-state image pickup device having storage time controlling function
US4446479A (en) * 1982-06-25 1984-05-01 Eastman Kodak Company Luminescent device for high resolution optical address and light valve imaging apparatus employing such device
JPH0744661B2 (ja) * 1982-12-14 1995-05-15 オリンパス光学工業株式会社 固体撮像装置
US4612578A (en) * 1985-04-04 1986-09-16 General Electric Co. Imager system for non-destructive profile read-out

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2580133B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1988-06-24
US4706123A (en) 1987-11-10
FR2580133A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1986-10-10
JPS61236283A (ja) 1986-10-21
DE3676550D1 (de) 1991-02-07
EP0201373A1 (fr) 1986-11-12

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